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Watch this Lesson in Practice

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Goals:

To introduce students to the process of innovation, as defined by “SMUBA” within the THINK app

To inspire students to act as innovators in their daily lives

Prerequisites:

None

Instructional Objective(s)

By the end of this lesson students will be able to:

Articulate a personal definition of innovation

Identify and discuss the steps of the process of innovation, as defined by “SMUBA” within the THINK app

Discuss the role that data plays in innovation

Understand that information is data

Understand that innovation is not limited to scientists and researchers, and that they themselves can act as innovators

Document an example of innovation that has resulted from their experience or someone they know, using the SMUBA process

Instructional Resources

Background:

This lesson provides an introduction to the process of innovation using IBM’s THINK app. This introductory lesson is designed for use before the three other THINK units: Fight the Flu, (others TBD). The subsequent units delve into specific STEM content areas, as well as specific steps of the innovation process.

Although innovation is a broad term, the process of innovation is deeply rooted in the observation, analysis, and critical thinking skills students need to succeed. This lesson can be used to strengthen students’ science process skills, while meeting the “nature of science” and technology standards as well as fulfilling Common Core English Language Arts requirements.

The worksheet in this section requires students to demonstrate critical thinking skills. The higher order thinking required by this lesson may be challenging for some students, and a sample worksheet is provided to assist you in prompting students and scaffolding discussion.

The video portion of the lesson can be completed in one of two ways. Students can interview each other during class time in order to create the video, or you can ask students to complete the video creation portion of the lesson as homework. If students create the video outside of class, they can either interview each other or an adult. If you wish, students can spend time editing their videos, but to make efficient use of time, you can also allow students to simply create rough versions of the video.

THINK App Overview

To complete this lesson as well as the units that follow, it is important that you take time to explore the app on your own. As you navigate through the app, you should make note of questions students may have, examples you could use as prompts, and the general layout of the app so you can provide direction to students.

Taken as a whole, the app explores a deliberate approach to progress. This approach can be described using the following steps: Seeing, Mapping, Understanding, Believing, and Acting (SMUBA). The THINK film reviews this systematic innovation process and provides examples of the process in action. Begin by taking the time to review the THINK film. You should be prepared to highlight aspects of the film that you think will help frame class discussion.

After viewing the film, move on to the Seeing module. In the Seeing portion of the app, you can explore an interactive timeline of tools that have helped people capture and measure information about the world around us. These tools include examples ranging from a sundial that first allowed us to measure time to a Plasmon ruler that allow us to measure on an infinitesimal scale. While exploring the Seeing module, you should not only take note of the many different tools, but also notice that as you move further towards present day, the timeline becomes more populated with innovative tools and these tools allow us to see with increasing clarity.

The next module in the app, Mapping, provides examples of different types of maps, ranging from a classic geographical map to a hierarchy chart to a database. Note that the different examples are presented in a way that illustrates the many roles that maps can play. Throughout the app, both modern and historical examples are provided, allowing the user to see how the path to progress builds on past innovations. While reviewing this module, consider which examples can help students understand the importance of not only collecting but also organizing information. Additionally, think about how selecting the right type of map for certain data can change the information that is revealed.

Understanding provides case studies of models that have helped humans understand systems. Models are not just physical representations of an idea, but can include complex equations and simulations that help us make sense of interactions between different factors. The case studies in this module show how models were used in the past and present to answer big questions such as deciding how to increase crop yield or figuring out where crime is likely to occur. It may be useful for you to write down examples of models that may be pertinent to content you’ve recently covered in class.

Believing features videos of innovators. These short videos include not only an explanation of a problem the innovator faced, but also how they used data to gain support from others to confront the problem. The videos highlight the importance of not only understanding a problem, but using this understanding to garner belief that progress is possible. Students often believe that STEM innovators work in isolation, and the examples given in these videos are a great way of showing how important properly communicating information (your beliefs and understanding) can be in the process of moving the world forward. For this lesson, identify two videos that you think will resonate most with your students.

Finally, Acting uses a 3D image of a globe and a series of map pins to illustrate different ways that IBM has put the process of Seeing, Mapping, Understanding, and Believing into practice. This module is useful in thinking about the various fields and sectors where innovation can occur. Again, it is useful to identify examples that you think your students will find most engaging.

Vocabulary

Innovation: A new product, system or method of doing something

SMUBA: This acronym refers to the innovation process of Seeing, Mapping, Understanding, Believing and Acting

Scientific Modeling: Physical, mathematical, or theoretical representations of information that help make abstract concepts more concrete in a way that reveals connections and behaviors of a system.

Engineering Design Process: This process refers to a series of steps an engineer takes when developing or modifying a product, system, or process. The process is not necessarily linear, but can include defining the problem and constraints, brainstorming designs that address this problem, selecting an idea to flesh out, planning and/or building this idea, testing the idea, and then refining the idea based on the test.

As a class, use the THINK app to view the ten-minute THINK Film. Tell students that they will be using information from the video to investigate the process of innovation. They should use notebooks or journals to jot down information they think will be useful.

Ask students if the process in the video matched the ideas brought up during the class discussion. In what specific ways did they differ? If there were steps that were not discussed in class, highlight their importance to the process. Ask students how this process compares to other processes such as the engineering design process or the scientific method. You can mention that all of these processes are a deliberate set of steps that describe how to approach a problem or idea. Unlike discoveries that are made by accident, all of these methods describe process that requires defined intentions. Inform students that they will now explore the SMUBA process in more depth.

Innovation Exploration

People have been innovating since the dawn of time. This portion of the lesson asks students to investigate innovations developed during different time periods. The investigation will reveal that no matter the time period or the application, the process follows the same basic steps.

Begin by breaking students into 6 groups with roughly 5 students per group.

Each group should be assigned one of the following tools from the Seeing portion of the THINK app. You can provide specific direction about when on the Seeing timeline each tool can be found, or provide students more time to explore and find the tool on their own.

Compass (Found under The Magnetic North 1111)

Endoscope (Found under Inside the Body 1805)

Opera Glasses (Found under The Details of a Performance 1823)

Gyroscope (Found under Orientation in Space 1852)

Drum Scanner (Found under Digitally Recorded Image 1957)

Carbon Nanotube Water Tester (Found under Water Purity 2010)

Groups should use the THINK app to learn about their tool and then complete the Seeing portion of the Innovation Worksheet. Students may record their responses in journals or notebooks.

After students have been given time to complete the worksheet, come back together as a class and have groups share out their responses. Discuss the role of “seeing” in the process of innovation. Can “seeing” have different meanings? Why do you think the process starts with “seeing?”

Ask students to refer to the journal notes they took during the video to recall the next step in the process. Ask students what “mapping” means. What do maps do and why are they important? Are there different types of maps?

After eliciting responses from students, tell the class that mapping can refer to organizing data. Maps can be geographical, but can also take the form of databases and graphs. Tell groups that they will now explore how information revealed by their tool could be organized or mapped.

Instruct students to complete the Mapping portion of the Innovation Worksheet.

Again, come back as a larger group and briefly share responses. Did students discover different types of maps? How does organizing data reveal new information?

Now move on to Understanding. Tell students that in this process, “understanding” refers to different ways of using organized data to create models that help explain cause and effect. Ask students what a model is. Are there different types of models? Have students complete the Understanding portion of the worksheet.

Come back together as a whole class. Select two videos from the Believing portion of the app to compare and contrast. You can select whichever videos you think your students would find most engaging. Again instruct students to take notes. For example, in the video that describes “Fighting crime with data” Bill Bratton, former police chief in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles and current chairman at Kroll Inc. describes how something as simple as mapping the location of crimes using push pins on a map allowed him to see connections that enabled him to address criminal activity in a more effective way. He articulates that it isn’t enough to simply collect and use information. Although he knew that the mapping of crimes could lead to change, progress wouldn’t have happened if he couldn’t get other people to believe that a solution was possible. For this video, students would write down the problem addressed (reduction in crime) and what type of mapping and data was used (using push pins to identify where crimes were occurring and then deploying police officers based on those locations). They would also note Mr. Bratton’s thoughts on belief and how belief, or the lack of belief, can affect progress.

Discuss the videos briefly using the following questions.

What was the challenge described in each of the videos?

What person or group did the person in the video need to inspire in order to make change?

How did the subjects of the videos use data to build understanding so that progress could occur?

Have students complete both the Believing and Acting portion of the Innovation Worksheet.

Now that students have explored the entire SMUBA process, ask them to think of the process as a whole. What role does data play in innovation? What are examples of different types of data? Does data always refer to numbers? Does innovation happen just by collecting data? Ask students if the process of innovation can work in the absence of any part of SMUBA? Refer back to one example from the THINK app and have students consider how the path of progress might have differed if one SMUBA step was missing. For example, what would have happened if most doctors did not believe that the endoscope was an effective way of examining the digestive tract? What would you learn if you examined raw data from a gyroscope without organizing it first?

Innovation Video Creation

Students have examined the “how” of innovation, and they will now turn their attention to the “who” of innovation. The THINK film discusses innovations “from the grand to the everyday” and this portion of the lesson asks students to consider how people go through the SMUBA process in their everyday lives.

Tell students that now that they are familiar with the SMUBA process, they will see how they themselves might use this process to innovate in their own lives. Inform students that they will be working in groups to create videos that will capture an example of everyday innovation. They should try to think of an innovation they’ve already developed, but they could also think of a new idea.

Split the class into groups of 3 students.

Tell students that they should base their video on the videos in the Believing module of the app. The video should be no longer than 2 minutes and the tone of the video should inspire others to look for opportunities to innovate.

Students should include all of the following components in their video.

Define the problem or question.

Describe what tools they might have used to “see” information related to the problem.

Explain how they mapped (organized) the data and this mapping led to a new understanding of the problem.

Describe how the data helped inspire belief.

Explain the action that was taken that resulted in progress.

As an example to get students started, you can use a modified version of the traffic congestion example from the THINK film students viewed at the beginning of class. Tell students to imagine that they are always late for their biology class because there is so much traffic in the hallway during passing time. How might they use the SMUBA process to get to class on time? The Seeing tools used might be stopwatches and cameras instead of sensors. Mapping (organizing) the photos and stopwatch readings might reveal areas where students stop and talk, or portions of the hallway that are narrower. In this example, Understanding might include a model of the hallway that allows students to test and predict the interaction between these different factors, which could lead students to see potential solutions to the congestion problem. This could include placing a teacher at the most popular areas for student conversation to keep traffic moving or locating lockers in another area to broaden the hallway. Finally, students could take the information they’ve collected and organized to the school administrators to show how the implementation of their idea could reduce passing time.

After students have completed their video projects, have a screening of everyone’s films.

Wrap-Up

After the film screening, briefly mention to students that Seeing, Mapping, Understanding, Believing, and Acting is a framework for describing the process of innovation, whether it is innovation on a grand or small scale. Although the development of progress may at times deviate from these steps, SMUBA is a useful tool in understanding not only how the world moves forward, but also how important information and the organization of information can be in spurring progress.

Now that this lesson is complete, you can move into one of the THINK units.

Extensions

Students can use computers to do more detailed research about their tool beyond the THINK app.